1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, a method for controlling the image processing apparatus, a control program, and a recording medium and, in particular, to confirmation of the corresponding relationship between an expansion control function that expands and controls the original function of the image processing apparatus and an expansion instruction unit that provides instructions to the expansion control function.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, known image processing apparatuses implement a system with two structures composed of a main body including an image forming function and an image scanning function and an IT-BOX as an information processing terminal that performs an information processing (IT: Information Technology) function. In the main body of the image processing apparatus, a SDK (Software Development Kit) application (hereinafter referred to as the SDK application) is installed as a function expansion application that responds to an image processing function of the main body to realize an expanded function. In addition, the SDK application installed in the main body is operated on the IT-BOX side to realize various information processing functions.
Such image processing apparatuses are applied to ones having facsimile machines of the same type, which are manufactured by the same company. In some image processing apparatuses, if the version of a program on the document recipient side is higher, a call is made from the facsimile machine on the document recipient side to download a program whose version is higher than the previous one. In other image processing apparatuses, if the version of a program on the document sender side is lower, a call is made from the facsimile machine on the document sender side and a new version program is uploaded from the facsimile machine on the document recipient side.
As a related art case, Patent Document 1 discloses an apparatus that includes a storage unit storing the version of a predetermined control program and a control unit that receives version data of an opposite party apparatus at the transmission or the reception of communication data and receives control program data from the opposite party apparatus to update the predetermined control program if the version stored in the storage unit is lower than that of the received data.
Patent Document 2 discloses a management system of an image processing apparatus including the image processing apparatus that performs image recording and network communications and a management server that communicates with the image processing apparatus via a network. In this system, the server includes programs that achieve the functions of the apparatus in its database. If the programs are upgraded, the server downloads them into the apparatus using the network. The server upgrades the apparatus either automatically or at the reception of an approval reply from the apparatus after transmitting upgrade information to the line number or the e-mail address registered for the apparatus via the network.
Patent Document 3 discloses an image forming apparatus adapted to be capable of installing applications. This apparatus includes an application information acquisition unit that acquires application information used for determining if it is possible to install applications in the apparatus.
Patent Document 4 discloses a printer driver supply unit including a common printer driver common to plural printers and a model-dependent printer driver inherent in a predetermined printer. Specifically, the common printer driver is adapted to be installed in a personal computer at the first connection with the personal computer, and the model-dependent printer driver is adapted to be installed at the first and the following connections with the personal computer and adapted to be uninstalled at the disconnection from the personal computer.
Patent Document 5 discloses an image forming apparatus including a platform that manages applications. This apparatus includes as an application managed by the platform an operations screen display application that displays an operations screen on which other applications managed by the platform are to be operated.
Patent Document 6 discloses an image forming apparatus including a transfer unit that transfers to a terminal device of the apparatus Web applications such as Applets, Xlets, and standalone applications and an application having an absorption function. Specifically, the Web applications display an operations screen for performing operations on the screen of the terminal device of the apparatus, and the absorption function absorbs the difference between a start function that starts the Web applications in the terminal device and an execution environment.
Patent Document 7 discloses an information processing apparatus including a storage medium setting unit to which a storage medium is set. The apparatus includes a validity determination unit that determines the validity of a program based on the validity of validity determination data in the storage medium storing the program and the validity determination data. The validity determination unit determines the validity of the validity determination data based on the verification of a hash code generated from the program with that obtained by decoding the validity determination data and the verification of data inherent in the information processing apparatus with that obtained by decoding the validity determination data.    Patent Document 1: JP-A-11-3212    Patent Document 2: JP-A-2000-200187    Patent Document 3: JP-A-2004-129246    Patent Document 4: JP-A-2006-113968    Patent Document 5: JP-A-2005-269619    Patent Document 6: JP-A-2006-79211    Patent Document 7: JP-A-2005-301968